20 THECUBAREVIEW 



LARGE INCREASE IN CUBA'S FOREIGN TRADE 



According to official statistics, the combined import and export trade of Cuba for 1912 

 reached the total value of $298,880,569, or an increase of $62,477,193 over 1911. Of the 

 total, $172,978,328 represented exports and $125,902,241 imports. Had it not been for the 

 racial disturbances and the general elections, trade would have shown a still larger gain. 



The comparison of the business year 1912 with that of 1911 



„ , ^ . reflects primarily the great gain made by the sugar value ac- 



1 rade Lomparisons cruing from the largest output on record to that time. This 



gain over 1911 from sugar and its products was $44,526,914, 



thus accounting for all of the 1912 increase except $5,315,035, of which tobacco and its 



products made up $3,478,953, and minerals, principally iron ore, $881,620, leaving nearly 



$1,000,000 to be distributed among the other exports which ordinarily have a small place 



in the export trade. 



The following table shows the principal exports during 1912 and countries of desti- 

 nation : 



Articles Total, 1912 U. S. Germany Spain France Unit. King. 



Animals, and products of : 



Animals $11,441 $10,331 $30 $250 



Hides and skins 1,938,217 637,327 1,128,493 $116,448 $32,000 



Other animal products.. 108,280 52,693 50,022 700 1,565 



Sugar and its products : 



Sugar, crude & refined.. 121,467,749 113,597,673 55 247 1,239,160 6,085,713 



Molasses 1,886,289 1,016,192 740 6 732,486 



Confectionery, etc 58,883 25,849 369 2,615 2,607 574 



Fruits, grains & vegetables : 



Fruits 2,184,420 2,178,700 210 997 1,236 



Grains and vegetables.. 609,033 529,417 1,088 3,619 68,080 2,610 

 Marine products : 



Tortoise shell, etc 45,741 5,630 10,465 27,021 



Sponges 303,964 126,740 4,483 7,486 108,934 50,123 



Mineral products : 



Asphalt 86,303 86,303 



Iron, gold, copper ore.. 4,456,539 4,456,539 



Old metals 14,648 4,645 6,203 1,300 



Forest products : 



Vegetable fibers 135,364 84,054 38,482 112 1,870 



Timber 2,176,881 1,225,888 269,026 28,864 282,533 278,436 



Tobacco products : 



Tobacco leaf 21,690,181 16,242,072 3,146,877 240,733 80,405 41,89S 



Cigars, cigarettes 13,537,790 3,987,180 1,149,678 341,647 626,114 4,071,307 



Miscellaneous : 



Bee products 848,470 215,910 346,577 3,047 5,762 



Distilled products 524,906 26,681 8,781 7,752 210 136,380 



All other articles 341,600 215,259 30,449 12,895 7,289 865 



Total 172,426,699 144,725,083 6,192,028 649,227 2,566,519 11,438,154 



Reexports 550,739 460,850 7,144 9,096 8,216 8,182 



Money 890 890 



Grand total 172,978,328 145,185,933 6,199,172 659,213 2,574,735 11,446,336 



The exports to countries not given in the foregoing table were valued at $6,912,939, of 

 which $5,300,060 represented tobacco and its products. 



Distribution of the J^e distribution of the exports to the United States and 



r- , other countries m 1911 and 1912 is given in the following 



Exports fnhip- 



^^°^^ • To United States To other countries 



1911 1912 1911 1912 



Products Percent Percent Percent Percent 



Animals and products 25.55 34.00 74.45 66.00 



Sugar and products 99.02 92.70 .98 7.30 



Fruits and vegetables 92.27 90.00 7.73 10.00 



Marine products 32.89 37.14 67.11 62.86 



Mineral products 99.94 99.80 .06 .20 



Forest products 54.29 56.51 45.71 43.49 



Tobacco products 63.71 57.14 36.29 42.86 



Miscellaneous 22.03 26.47 77.97 73.53. 



